WASHINGTON – The Republican race for the White House is about to accelerate dramatically, with a series of debates and events testing whether Rick Perry has staying power and whether Mitt Romney can keep focusing on the president instead of his GOP rivals.

September also may finally determine the field, with Sarah Palin perhaps deciding at last whether to run.

Additional Photos

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, governor of Texas, greets guests at a house party Saturday in Manchester, N.H. Perry has surged ahead in the GOP race but is untested on the national stage. The Associated Press

Perry, the Texas governor, jolted the party last month by leaping to the top of several national polls within days of joining the race. Now, three scheduled debates in 16 days, the first on Wednesday in California, will show how well he can stand alongside his competitors and field a range of questions.

That opening debate “will be most critical” for Perry because “it will be his first time out,” said Terry Nelson, a campaign strategist who had worked for former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, now out of the 2012 race.

Perry’s entrance has riveted political insiders and led to talk of how Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, should respond. It also siphoned off some of the buzz surrounding Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a tea party favorite previously considered by many observers to be Romney’s chief rival.

But GOP strategists warn that it’s very early, and polls at this stage are often poor predictors of what’s to come in next year’s voting to pick a nominee.

“There’s movement all over the place,” said Kevin Madden, an unpaid adviser to Romney and a veteran of several campaigns.

CONSERVATIVE APPEAL

At this stage in the 2008 presidential cycle, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani topped national Republican polls, followed by ex-Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson. Both men faded fast.

Barely registering was former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who four months later won the Iowa caucus. Arizona Sen. John McCain eventually claimed the nomination.

For all that, party insiders say Perry can be a potent and resilient contender if he avoids major missteps. They say that polls and anecdotal evidence suggest he can appeal to a crucial swath of Republican activists: deeply conservative voters who place a somewhat greater emphasis on the economy, especially jobs, than on social matters, such as gay marriage.

Unlike Bachmann, a three-term House member, Perry can point to a record of robust job creation as governor. Unlike Romney, Perry espouses a long-held anti-Washington, anti-regulation philosophy that doesn’t leave hard-core conservatives wondering whether he’s a soul mate.

Romney’s response to the Perry surge has been calm and measured. He still directs nearly all of his criticism at President Obama.

HOLDING BACK THE PUNCHES

Romney did, however, adjust his Labor Day weekend schedule to add a tea party event in New Hampshire and an appearance with Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. DeMint, a tea party favorite whose endorsement could be valuable, also is hosting Perry, Bachmann, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and others at a forum Monday in Columbia, S.C.

Romney’s closest swipe at Perry was a brief jab last week at “career politicians” during a speech in San Antonio. Presumably that applies to the president and the Texas governor alike.

Defeating Obama is the GOP goal. If Romney can convince Republicans that he has the best chance of doing that, he may subdue more conservative opponents such as Perry and Bachmann.

But Michael Dennehy, a GOP veteran of New Hampshire campaigns, said Romney’s team “is crazy not to respond” to Perry right away. “If they don’t,” Dennehy said, “he’s going to be on top on them in no time.”

The Republican contenders, including Perry for the first time, will face each other at the California debate on Wednesday and Florida forums Sept. 12 and Sept. 22.

Romney plans a speech Tuesday on jobs. Palin scheduled holiday weekend stops in Iowa and New Hampshire.

For most politicians, that would signal a strong interest in running for president. Former Alaska Gov. Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee, has kept Republicans guessing for months. Many expect no decision from her until late September.

For now, most eyes are on Perry. If he survives the three debates largely unharmed, Romney and the others will have to decide when and how to start exploiting his faults.

Related Stories